PASADENA, Calif.—Sunday, May 6 marked the culmination of many months of rigorous career training as 379 students officially joined the ranks of North-West College alumni. Thousands of family members, friends, Instructors, and Team Members gathered to celebrate North-West College’s Spring Commencement Ceremony—cheering as each graduate crossed the stage at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
“I am honored to be here to be here to celebrate the accomplishments of these graduates today,” shared College President Mitchell Fuerst. “Today is the beginning of an awesome career in health care. Let there be no limit to what you can accomplish! Know how proud we are of every single one of you, and how much faith we have in you and your abilities to change your communities—and our world—one person, one patient, at a time.”
Graduates crossed the stage by program, with individuals representing all of the College’s 12 programs, including Associate of Science in Health Care Administration, Medical Assistant, Dental Assistant, Vocational Nurse, Eyecare Specialist, Massage Therapist, Surgical Technologist, and Pharmacy Technician, among others. As part of their training, each graduate took part in classroom-based learning along with hands-on training opportunities. Students also completed a clinical externship component, allowing them to further hone their skills in real-world environments. This practical training approach is a hallmark of North-West College—enabling NWC graduates to hit the ground running in the health care field.
Along with talented musician Ilya Serov and vocalist Scott A. People, graduates had the honor of hearing from Keynote Speaker Ramella Markarian. An alumni of North-West College’s sister college, Glendale Career College, Markarian now serves as Vice President of Business Development for Adventist Health Glendale.
“I started my career as a Medical Assistant—it feels like yesterday that I stood here in my cap and gown, receiving my own diploma from North-West College,” Markarian shared. “Your diploma is your ticket to your future—to your next destination. It’s up to you to take all of you learned into the real world and tackle new problems and find new solutions. You are the ones who can set examples, blaze new trails, lead and work with passion, push boundaries, and take advantage of every opportunity—big or small.”
Watch the full Commencement Ceremony video by visiting facebook.com/northwestcollege/. Interested in learning more about North-West College’s programs? Please contact Nancy Aguillon at NancyA@success.edu for more information today!